Alonso and Raikonnen get Matt over the finishing line

THE chequered flag has waved on the 2005 Fantasy Formula 1 competition and greeted Matt Lihou across the winning line. The 17-year-old Elizabeth College student had been at the head of the field since the Monaco Grand Prix in late May and despite a late surge by Black Flag F1, who finished second, Matt's Motoring Maniacs held on for victory and the first prize of £150 worth of petrol.

The fuel will come in especially handy for Lihou as he's been learning to drive for the past month and has had six lessons to date.

His success can largely be attributed to the selection of Formula 1 world champion Fernando Alonso and his nearest rival, Kimi Raikkonen, in favour of the more expensive Michael Schumacher.

'Alonso and Raikkonen won the majority of races so it was a good choice to choose them over Schumacher, because choosing him would have used up half the fantasy budget.'

David Coulthard, Nick Heidfeld and Jarno Trulli made up the rest of his team and it was their form towards the end of the season that made Lihou think he was going to be pipped at the post.

'At the start of the season Coulthard and especially Trulli were getting me regular points, but they both faded away towards the end and didn't even finish in the points at the last race so I thought I had lost because I was already getting caught.'

But Matt needn't have worried because the one-two finish by Alonso and Raikkonen in China ensured he won by five points.

The Fantasy F1 success is the first of its kind for Lihou who regularly enters similar cricket and football competitions, where he admits to having a bit more knowledge and interest.

'I ended up watching about half the races and the ones I missed I would catch up with the results later, especially the races in the early morning.

'But I know which drivers are good, if not exactly knowing all the ins and outs of the sport.'

Bart Stratford-Hall's Black Flag F1 came second with Dave du Jardin's Piston Broke Again team a further 10 points adrift in third and early pacesetter Morag Fitzpatrick's Mosey's Motors back in 10th.